Here we go again, folks.
Teaching in a U.S. public school, these days, has its demands. As a matter of fact, some of those demands are, well, demanding; by demanding I mean borderline unreasonable or downright unreasonable. Many educators find themselves cutting corners on record keeping, shirking their planning responsibilities, and giving it only a percentage of what they've got. Making it home in time to collapse on the couch for the evening becomes a nightly destination and aspiration.
And then comes another mandate. Something else on the plate. An extra duty. Another meeting during planning period. Another meeting after school. Another document to transfer data to (Isn't that the same data you entered into yet another document, last week?).
And somebody say it: It is what it is.
Is that supposed to make it feel better? The lost time with my family, going home after sunset, no time for a sit-down meal? Oh well, LOL, it is what it is. That makes it all right, doesn't it? Just accept it as one of those and other duties on your contract. They've got you, and you can't do anything about it. Even if it doesn't make sense. Even at the expense of your health, both mental and physical. You didn't need your sanity anyway!
It is what it is. Does that explain everything? Suddenly what was unreasonable gets done, sans dissension of any kind, because someone says:
"It's research based."
"This isn't coming from me, but from my administrator."
"This isn't coming from us, but from central administration."
"This isn't coming from us, but from the state."
"We have to do this, because we're a Title One school."
"We're bound to do this because of a special grant."
As if saying these things makes something make sense. As if saying these things proves the worth of a particular activity.
It is what it is.
Whatever.
Wouldn't any person in authority want to surround himself/herself with people who couldn't ask questions, people who aren't willing to respectfully dissent? What kind of leader surrounds himself/herself with sycophants? Friends, that's a recipe for failure. With such, said leader will find that those in his/her entourage will willingly throw the leader under the proverbial bus.
Any healthy organization will welcome questions and challenges to the status quo, and yet if the puppies only roll over and expose their bellies, while panting for their master's affections and Attaboys, the status quo will not ever be achieved. No one trusts anyone.
And that's where It is what it is gets you.
It is what it is.
I ask, Does not mean it has to be what it is? Can't it become what it isn't? Why can't it be better than it is?
It is what it is. Then we may never escape mediocrity. Boo.
Teaching in a U.S. public school, these days, has its demands. As a matter of fact, some of those demands are, well, demanding; by demanding I mean borderline unreasonable or downright unreasonable. Many educators find themselves cutting corners on record keeping, shirking their planning responsibilities, and giving it only a percentage of what they've got. Making it home in time to collapse on the couch for the evening becomes a nightly destination and aspiration.
And then comes another mandate. Something else on the plate. An extra duty. Another meeting during planning period. Another meeting after school. Another document to transfer data to (Isn't that the same data you entered into yet another document, last week?).
And somebody say it: It is what it is.
Is that supposed to make it feel better? The lost time with my family, going home after sunset, no time for a sit-down meal? Oh well, LOL, it is what it is. That makes it all right, doesn't it? Just accept it as one of those and other duties on your contract. They've got you, and you can't do anything about it. Even if it doesn't make sense. Even at the expense of your health, both mental and physical. You didn't need your sanity anyway!
It is what it is. Does that explain everything? Suddenly what was unreasonable gets done, sans dissension of any kind, because someone says:
"It's research based."
"This isn't coming from me, but from my administrator."
"This isn't coming from us, but from central administration."
"This isn't coming from us, but from the state."
"We have to do this, because we're a Title One school."
"We're bound to do this because of a special grant."
As if saying these things makes something make sense. As if saying these things proves the worth of a particular activity.
It is what it is.
Whatever.
Wouldn't any person in authority want to surround himself/herself with people who couldn't ask questions, people who aren't willing to respectfully dissent? What kind of leader surrounds himself/herself with sycophants? Friends, that's a recipe for failure. With such, said leader will find that those in his/her entourage will willingly throw the leader under the proverbial bus.
Any healthy organization will welcome questions and challenges to the status quo, and yet if the puppies only roll over and expose their bellies, while panting for their master's affections and Attaboys, the status quo will not ever be achieved. No one trusts anyone.
And that's where It is what it is gets you.
It is what it is.
I ask, Does not mean it has to be what it is? Can't it become what it isn't? Why can't it be better than it is?
It is what it is. Then we may never escape mediocrity. Boo.
